NPR: Liberal Groups Now Say They Were 'Targeted' by IRS, Too

Tamara Keith of National Public Radio filed a story Tuesday on efforts by liberal non-profit groups to claim that they, too, were “targeted” by the IRS, just as conservative groups were. None of them, however, can claim that they were singled out because of their names or views–and many received approval before the 2012 election.

Keith notes that several “progressive” groups received extensive inquiries from the IRS when they applied for 501(c)3 or 501(c)4 status, including intrusive questions about their donors. Some complain that approval took nearly two years. Keith draws parallels between their experience and that of conservative groups.

But Keith notes that “everyone” agrees that what happened to groups with “Tea Party” and “Patriot” in their names was wrong–and could well have added that there are no parallels to some of the worst abuses that conservative groups endured, such as questions about the content of their prayers, or leaks of donor lists.

Keith’s report amplifies one of two narratives Democrats and the left have been spinning in the past several weeks to deflate the IRS scandal. One is that the IRS ought to be investigating political non-profit groups; the other, somewhat conflicting story is that the abuse conservative groups experienced was not unique.

The story was released on the day that Tea Party groups are gathering for an “Audit the IRS” rally in Washington to protest the agency’s conduct. The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee continues its investigation of the IRS, as legislators debate calls for a special prosecutor into the scandal.

Update: As Breitbart News’ Mike Flynn has noted, Democrats did not call any liberal non-profit groups to testify before the House Oversight Committee earlier this month when several of the Tea Party and conservative groups that had been targeted spoke to legislators about their experience of abuses by the IRS.